Blue light LED therapy treats acne at the source

Almost everyone suffers from acne at some point in life. In fact, 80% of teens and young adults experience breakouts at least occasionally. It’s totally normal!

But for some people, the problem isn’t just an occasional annoyance that fades with age. It’s all the time, and it’s not going away, no matter how many cleansers, creams, and medications you try. Persistent acne causes pain and permanent scarring, and it kills your confidence.

Blue light LED therapy is a new way to treat acne without any chemicals or pills. If you’re at the end of your rope with your unruly face, it could be right for you.

How it works

Acne is the result of normal biological processes gone awry. Your body produces sebum (a.k.a. oil) in the sebaceous glands, which sit right under the top layer of skin. Usually, this oil moves through the pores to the surface and keeps your the skin and hair nicely moisturized and waterproof. At the same time, a normal skin bacteria called p. acnes happily dwells in the glands without causing any harm.

Trouble starts to brew when there’s too much oil. Either your glands start over-producing it, or dirt clogs your pores and prevents it from exiting, or both. P. acnes likes the oil and starts to multiply, causing inflammation (read: pimples). Surface-level pimples are easy to treat with products that wash away oil and dry up the top layer of skin. But if the issue lies deeper – as with severe or cystic acne – those products simply can’t reach the source of the problem.

Blue light LED therapy directly kills the bacteria that causes acne. A narrow band of blue wavelength light targets the sebaceous glands where it lives, and only the bacterial cells are vulnerable to it, so your skin doesn’t suffer. That’s why it works on deep acne that doesn’t respond to topical treatment.

At home vs. professional

Blue light therapy is FDA-approved for acne treatment both at home and at a doctor’s office or medical spa. For less than $40, you can get a small device with the right wavelength to tackle your blemishes in your own bathroom. This is fine for occasional zit zapping, but if you want to treat a large area and get results that last, the pro route is your best bet.

Professional devices are large enough to treat the whole face, and they apply additional light wavelengths to do more than just kill bacteria. For example, the Sciton Forever Clear BBL uses yellow light to reduce inflammation directly and infrared light to stimulate healing and shrink the oil glands. Your doctor or aesthetician may also apply a photosensitive cream that increases your skin’s absorption of the light, making the treatment more effective.

Once the bacteria dies, the inflammation naturally dies down. One time under the lights won’t cure all immediately, but a course of several treatments can have dramatic and lasting effects.

To learn more, contact us at Become Medspa. Our experienced doctor and aestheticians can help you decide whether blue light acne therapy is the solution for your persistent acne.